Fish lure



Nov. 18, 1947.

L.. J. MAIETTA 2,431,181

FISH LURE l Filed March 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 18, 1947. 1 J. MAIETTA FISH LURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2, 1946 I I uventor loa/13 d: Wafezfa.

By @Mw and #may Hmm Patented Nov. 18, 1947 l.Jl\IlTl`lE1DV STATES PATENT OFFICE FISH LURE' Louis J. Maietta, BristoLl Conn:`

Application March 2, 1946, Serial No. 651,492.-

2 Claims; 1

The. present invention relates to new and useful improvements in fish lures or articial bait, commonly known as plugs and the invention has for its primary object to provide a self catching lure of `this character.

More specifically, the invention resides in providing a body in which 'a plurality of hooks are normally concealedin aretracted position together with spring means for projecting the hooks laterally from the body into a shs mouth together with trip means for releasing the spring to'project the hooks and in which the trip means is actuated by the action of the sh biting on the lure.-

An important object of the invention is to provide a fish lure of this character in which the ho'oks.are normally maintained in a retracted position to prevent engagement :withthe clothing of a person or other objects while the lure is being carried as well as to prevent entanglement of the-hooks with weeds and other obstructions inthe water -while the lure is being drawn therethrough and in which the hooks are projected from the lure for catching the sh by the action of the fish grabbing the lure.

A further object of invention is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View.

Figure 2 is a front elevational View.

Figure 3 is a top plan View.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on a line -l of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a similar View showing the hooks in projected position and Figures 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on the lines 6-6 and 'I-'I of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the body of the lure which is shaped generally to conform to the contour of a iish and composed or a pair of longitudinal sections 6 and 'I preferably constructed of buoyant material and secured to each other in sideby-side relation by bolts or the like 8.

The confronting faces of the sections 6 and 'I are recessed as shown at 9 to provide a chamber in the body in which a longitudinally extending cylindrical member I0 is positioned having a tube II 'projecting dfrom its rearrend. The rearY end of the tube II is formed with a pairof eyes I2 at diametrically opposite sides of the tube to' each of .which ash hook I2 is pivotally attached intermediate the. ends Yof the hook by means of pins I4." Each of the hooks is formed at its outer end with a barb I5 `and the hooks are normally maintained in a retracted position inlongitudinally extendinggrooves I6 formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the body 5, the hooksextending forwardly from their pivots I4.

The rear ends of the hooks are-formed' with" longitudinallyu extending slots IT in which a'pin I8 is received, the pins projecting laterally fromA opposite sides of the rear end 'of a plunger 'ISA slidablymounted inthe tube II.

IIhe front upper porti-on `of the cylinder IIl'is formed with-'a longitudinally extending slot 20 in which the :free end offa spring catch 2| is received, the catchbeingY integrally formedV orv otherwise suitably connected to one edge rof -adisc 22 slidably mounted in the 'front end of the cylinder' Ill.` A second disc 23 is secured to thefront `end of theplunger I9 'andis eonnectedfto the disc 22 by a bar 24. A coil spring 25 is positioned in the cylinder I0 behind the disc 22 and bears against the rear end of the cylinder to project the discs 22 and 23 and the plunger I9 forwardly when released by the catch 2 I.

A resilient trigger 26 is integrally formed or otherwise suitably connected to the front portion of the cylinder I0 and projects upwardly and rearwardly through the upper groove I6 in the body 5 with the upper end of the trigger extending outwardly of the body as shown to advantage in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings. The under side of the trigger 25 is formed with a rigid tongue 21 which bears against the catch 2| and is adapted to release the catch upon a downward movement of the trigger in a direction inwardly of the body 5.

The upper edge yof the front disc 23 is formed with an apertured lip 28 to which a sh line 29 is attached and fingers 30 project laterally outwardly at diametrically opposite sides of the disc 23 for linger gripping engagement by a person to move the discs 22 and 23 inwardly of the cylinder I0 into a position for the engagement of the catch 2I in the opening 20 thereof.

A plate 3l is formed at the front end of the cylinder I0 and projects downwardly and forwardly of the body 5 to cause a twisting and Wiggling motion of the lure while being drawn through the water. K

In the operation of the device with the sections 6 and 1 of the body connected to each other and with the hook actuating mechanism mounted therein as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the discs 22 and 23 are normally moved inwardly or rearwardly of the cylinder I0 to compress the spring 25 whereupon the plunger I9 is also moved rearwardly to retract the hooks I3 in the grooves I6 in the upper and lower portions of the body.

When a iish grabs the lure, the trigger 26 will be depressed, thereby depressing the catch 2| t0 release the catch from the slot 20 of the cylinder, whereupon the spring 25 will project the discs 22 and 23 and the plunger I9 forwardly and result in an outward swinging movement of the` hooks I3 into the position as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. The hooks I3 will then penetrate into the mouth of the fish to prevent disengagement or release of the iish from the lure.

In order to disengage the fish from the lure, the finger pieces 39 are moved inwardly or rearwardly, thereby moving the plunger I9 rearwardly and causing a retracting movement of the hooks.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there isherein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A fish lure compri-sing a body having a pair of longitudinally extending grooves in its surface, a pair of fish hooks pivoted in the body for movement from a concealed position in the grooves to an outwardly projected position, a, cylindrical member in the body having a longitudinal slot, a rod slidably mounted in the cylindrical member and connected at its rear end to said hooks, a spring catch carried by the rod and engageable in the slot to hold the rod in its rearward position, spring means urging the rod forwardly to project the hooks, and a trigger arranged to release the catch to place the rod under the influence of the spring means, said trigger being arranged for actuation by a sh grabbing the lure.

2. A iish lure comprising a body having a pair of longitudinally extending grooves in its surface, a pair of fish hooks pivoted in the body for movement from a concealed position in the grooves to an outwardly projected position, a cylindrical member in the body having a longitudinal slot, and also having a plate projecting downwardly and forwardly at its front end outwardly of the body to agitate the lure when drawn through the water, a rod slidably mounted in the cylindrical member and connected at its rear end to said hooks, a spring catch carried by the rod and engageable in the slot to hold the rod in its rearward position, spring means urging the rod forwardly to project the hooks, and a trigger arranged to release the catch to place the rod under the inuence of the spring means, said trigger being arranged for actuation by a sh grabbing the lure.

LOUIS J. MAIE'I'I'A..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,465,750 Borg Sept. 11, 1923 1,209,237 Warren Dec. 19, 1916 

